


After School Special

by xtricks



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Ghost Rider (Comics)
Genre: Gen, M/M, Pride
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2018-06-06
Packaged: 2019-05-19 02:20:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14864795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xtricks/pseuds/xtricks
Summary: Robbie gets called to Gabe's school.





	After School Special

**Author's Note:**

> It was supposed to be a drabble. It was supposed to be light. It was supposed to be about Robbie. It's none of those things, alas.
> 
> There's also some sub-rosa racism, classism and a bit of abelism in one small section.

Sure he knew, but what was he going to do about it?  Nothing, that’s what. He didn’t have time and Robbie sure as hell wasn’t going to go _find_ himself when he could barely hang onto himself.

He wasn’t blind.  He’d had crushes when he was a kid and Alejandro still had the kind of relaxed swagger that made _everyone_ watch him, even if he’d grown up to be a gang-banger.  Robbie remembered his last advanced placement class before dropping out mostly because of his tutor’s long fingers, the lanky bend of his neck, and getting distracted wondering what it would feel like to have those hands on his skin.

Maybe he liked guys better, but he liked girls just fine too and it was ... easier that way.  No one asked questions. No one noticed him. When you spent a few nights a week killing people, that was important.  Besides, he knew how to use the internet and there were plenty of videos if he wanted a little something extra.

But _no one_ was gonna mess with Gabe.

_\- of course, there’s nothing wrong with Gabe’s choices at_ **_all_ ** _but I’m just_ **_concerned_ ** _about him.  I don’t want his social life to be anymore_ **_challenging_ ** _than it already is -_

Especially not some concern trolling teacher pulling Gabe out of class because he got into a fight about his boyfriend.  A boyfriend Robbie hadn’t heard of before. A boyfriend.

Robbie yelled across the garage as he stripped off his coveralls and shoved his phone back into his pocket.  “I gotta go to Gabe’s school -”

“Everything okay, Roberto?”  Canelo’s worried head popped up over the hood of an old wrangler, the rest of him following shortly after.  His boss did a bit of the father thing, which annoyed Robbie - his father was _dead_ \- but he kept his mouth shut because Gabe liked it.  Maybe Canelo did too, the man didn’t have any kids. “The boy all right? _¿Cualquier problema?”_

“No, no - “ Robbie swung his keys restlessly then grimaced.  He didn’t have a great track record on going to Gabe’s school things and everyone knew it.  “He got in a fight -” at Canelo’s alarmed look - “a _small_ fight.  But they want me to come talk to his teachers.”

One good thing about living in Hillrock Heights was that Torres High didn’t have a zero tolerance policy - they didn’t toss every kid who threw a punch into jail - the school would be empty otherwise.  

Torres was new and fancy, nothing like the rundown schools Robbie had shuffled through before dropping out.  It was perfect for Gabe, and Robbie had fought like hell to get him into it. It also had a ton of security that Robbie had to go through before he was taken to the offices, which  made him smile sourly. Nothing he had would show up in a metal detector. Gabe and another boy were sitting on a bench outside the principal’s office, Gabe’s chair pushed so they were knee to knee.

“Gabe!”  Robbie strode forward, leaving his escort in the dust.  The two jerked back, Gabe hurriedly wheeling around to face Robbie.  He had a bruise just blooming on his cheek, some on his knuckles too, and his friend - boyfriend? - had a split lip.  The hot knot in Robbie’s chest eased a little. Gabe wasn’t hurt much. “What’re doing, putting the smack down at school?  Or anywhere?”

“It was my fault!” Gabe’s boyfriend sprang up with nervous bravado.  He had a fade, with short dreads sticking straight up on top, and was a skinny, gawky kid with anxious eyes and clothes that didn’t come from the goodwill.   _“I_ got him into a fight -”

“And who are you?”  Robbie scowled, glad to see it made the kid quail back.  He better not be messing with his little brother.

_“Hey!_  You did not!”  Gabe reached out, the boys’ fingers lacing briefly before sliding guiltily away.  It made Robbie’s chest ache a little. Did Gabe think he was going to have a fit? Did he act like he would?  “This is Trevor and he didn’t get me into anything I didn’t want -” a break and a blush before Gabe hurried on.  “I got myself into trouble just fine on my own.”

“Yeah, I believe it.” Robbie crossed his arms.  “What’s it about then, this fight that got me called off from work?”

Gabe smacked a frustrated fist down on the arm of his chair.  “I may have to sit down but I don’t have to just _take_ it!  I’m sick of getting us getting harassed by a bunch of trolls because Trev and I are dating and -”

_“Who’s been hassling you?”_  Robbie snapped.  Trevor had a _nickname_ and Gabe was _dating_ , and he was getting shit at school.  Robbie burst into restless pacing, frustrated by the realization that Gabe had all this going on and Robbie hadn’t known a thing about it.  Some night stalking vigilante he was.

“Did he even know?  Weren’t you gonna _tell_ him?” Trevor whispered and Gabe groaned.

“Mr _Reyes_ ,” the woman hovering in the doorway decided that was her time to interrupt and her uptight, chipper voice was the same as the message on Robbie’s phone.  “I know this was _so_ inconvenient, can you come in?”  She held the door open for him.

He remembered all over again why he hated these school things.  Torres had a latina principal and a magnet tech academy and was in east LA but he’d _still_ had to listen to people like this ... Mrs. Collins imply that his little brother didn’t belong.  They had all sorts of reasons then; because there’d been no AP classes in Gabe’s middle school, because they weren’t part of the wave of white middle class gentrifiers moving into the old neighborhoods (they _were_ the old neighborhood), because their uncle was in prison for murder, because they were poor ....  Now Collins was all about how _challenging_ things must be for them both, how difficult it must be for Gabriel without a _positive_ father figure in a latino household and it was such a _pity_ about Mr. Morrow, considering his academic achievements.  Robbie recognized the look that she gave him as she talked, noticing that he hadn’t had time to clean the grease from under his nails, and that he smelled like the garage he worked in.

“Regardless, violence is never the solution, Mr. Reyes.” She finished.

It was in his world.  But he wanted Gabe to live in the world where it _wasn’t_ so he ducked his head and bit his lip on a smart reply.  Collins had a sheaf of papers that Robbie reluctantly took.  

“Now, he’s always been an _exemplary_ student, and - as you mentioned, he’s never fought before,” She sounded like she was doing them a special favor.  “I’ve developed a little diversion program for Gabe, why don’t you look it over and let me know what you think?”

Robbie didn’t think much of it but he knew the school wouldn’t just let the fight go.  “I’ll take a look,” he grumbled. “I gotta take Gabe home and give him _my_ diversion program.”

“Mr. Reyes,” Collins leaned forward anxiously, the worry that he was some ... some asshole who’d treat his own brother wrong over a boyfriend instead of a girlfriend, was clear in her eyes.  “You _were_ aware that Gabriel is gay, weren’t you?  There’s no need to ... _overreact_ , being gay is a normal and valid - ”

“Yeah - _yes_ !” Robbie lied and hating that he had to but his family was none of her business.  “I know. So what? He shouldn't have to be fighting assholes about it! What are you doing about _them_?”

“We have an anti-bullying program,” she replied stiffly.  “Their misbehavior will be addressed.”

He didn’t think Collins believed him; at least, she shoved a handful of pamphlets at him; PFLAG, ‘Gay Allies’, and one well meaning spanish language one talking about the dangers of machismo and swearing that _he could call her anytime, of_ **_course_ ** _, if he had any questions or concerns._

Finally getting out of that office, Robbie slumped against the wall, clutching an armful of papers and gave Gabe a sour look.  “You’re the one fighting and I’m the one suffering.”

Gabe had the grace to look hangdog, though he mostly looked nervous.  “What’s the verdict?”

“No extracurriculars for the rest of the term,” Robbie said shortly, dumping the papers into Gabe’s lap and nudging his chair to get him to turn around and head out.  “Weekly visits with Mrs. Collins to check in on how you’re _feeling_ -”

“Great,” Gabe mumbled.  “That’ll be fun.”

“ - and whatever else is in that pile.  You read it and figure it out.”

Trevor’s parents had arrived, and he was currently getting the Lecture, which sounded pretty much the same as the ones he’d gotten from Eli back in the day.  Trev took a moment out of his ‘I’m sorrys’ and ‘I won’t do it again, I swear’ to exchange nervous looks with Gabe as they went by. Robbie frowned down at his brother’s hair, looked like he had to brush up on _his_ Lecture.  And maybe have a Talk, too.

“PFLAG,” Gabe sounded little numb, holding the bright pamphlet as Robbie got him into the car and his chair packed away.  “Um.”

Robbie cranked the engine and Lucy roared, sounding as unsettled as he felt but he didn’t pull out of the lot just yet.  “Yeah. Collins thought that since my little brother is gay, I might wanna brush up on not being a jerk, I guess.”

“You’re not a jerk, Robbie!”

“Really?” Robbie tried to tamp down on the hurt but he knew Gabe heard it.  “Then, why didn’t you tell me, huh? What did you think I was gonna do?”

“That’s not it,” Gabe looked strained; that worried look Robbie had never got him to talk about.  Was it this? “You’ve already got so much to deal with, I just - I just didn’t want to add the hassle.”

“Hassle,” Robbie braced his arm on the wheel and rubbed his eyes.  “Jesus, Gabe, you’re not a hassle. I mean - is Trevor a hassle?”

_“No!”_ Gabe looked outraged.

“Right, okay, so this isn’t - “ Robbie waved a helpless hand.  “A _hassle_ .  It’s, you know, _you_ and you’re my _brother_ and I’m okay with whatever.  A boyfriend. A girlfriend. Both.  I’m okay with it.”

Maybe ... maybe he should’ve said something years ago.  About himself. Shown Gabe it really _was_ okay.  That Robbie really _did_ understand, that Gabe didn’t have to keep half his life away from people who loved him.  Robbie scrubbed at his eyes again, and thought about the chunk of his life he never let see the light of day, let alone told anyone about.  Now wasn’t the time either, because now wasn’t about him. Robbie felt so much like his own father right now, it hurt.

“I - uh - I only like guys, I think ...” Gabe mumbled, face red.  “At least right now. Maybe it’s just a phase - maybe I’ll -”

“Gabe, wait, Gabe - look at me.”  Robbie squeezed Gabe’s shoulder, realizing when he did that Gabe wasn’t a little kid anymore.  He had muscle in his shoulders and arms, and a life of his own he was struggling with. “It doesn’t have to be a phase.”

“Okay,” Gabe managed.  Sometimes it was impossible to tell what his brother was thinking but Robbie hoped that was relief in his eyes.  “We’re good?”

“We’re good,” Robbie nodded.  He put the car in gear and pulled into the traffic, mouth ticking up.  “So - Trevor. _Trev_.  How about he comes over Friday and we order some pizza and I meet my brother’s boyfriend?”

“Oh, god,” Gabe groaned.

“Oh, it’s too late for that, _hermanito_.”

 

END

 

(6/6/18)


End file.
